Soapbox in place. Stepping onto it.
We should be ashamed of ourselves.
Early specialization among our young sports enthusiasts is bordering on an epidemic. Call it the systematic killing of the great athlete. And we are the culprits.
"We" refers to the adults among us who force children to play one sport, forsaking all others; guilt,...

When 16-year-old John Gaebler got up to thank his parents for supporting him along the road to becoming an Eagle Scout, he decided to start with a little honesty.
"I almost quit Boy Scouts when I was in the sixth grade," said Gaebler. "And I'm so glad I didn't."
Gaebler, the son of Colorado Springs City Councilwoman Jill Gaebler, was one of...

Hand embroidery is making a comeback, but what crafters are doing with needle and thread transcends the "Home Sweet Home" samplers of yesteryear.
They're using innovative designs and materials to take embroidery to artistic realms. Scroll through websites such as Pinterest or Etsy and you'll find human portraits drawn in thread, colorfully...

Call your parents.
It's been said so many times before, but when actor J.K. Simmons chose to share the simple message last week during his Academy Award acceptance speech, he inspired a Hallmark moment with Hollywood might and a viral trajectory.
"Everybody, call your mom. Call your dad," said Simmons, who won best supporting actor for his...

Pikes Peak region residents have two options for the weekend: stay cozy, warm and voluntarily snowed-in or go outside in search of great winter adventures. The abundance of snow that has graced the region, according to outdoor enthusiasts, has made winter adventures easier to reach than usual. Snow cover makes local sites such as Bear Creek...

School was canceled, but fifth-grader Delilah Tefertiller showed up just the same, a sled tucked under her arm.
Her lesson plan for the day: discovering the thrill of going airborne.
"A lot of people like to make jumps or ramps, which are fun," the 11-year-old said between trips down a sledding hill with her brother, 9-year-old Quinn, at a...

"Wake up! Be informed!"
That's the message a local mother of three who has been around the educational block has for other parents.
Bethany Drosendahl served as a parent representative on a 15-member, statewide task force lawmakers formed last year to study Colorado's standardized testing system and make recommendations for change....

Jason Meents grew up loving comic books and newspaper comic strips - and never minding the genre was "for kids."
A kid he was.
"I'd get the newspaper every day and was excited for Sunday because they were bigger and in color," said Meents, 35, who as a boy in Chicago kept binders full of strips he carefully cut from the paper. The...

When it comes to well-being, Alaskans nabbed the top spot in the United States, according to an annual ranking.
West Virginia, however, came in dead last for the sixth time in six years, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
Hawaii and South Dakota followed Alaska in spots two and three. And Kentucky stayed in the 49th...

The Money Museum, 818 N. Cascade Ave., offers free admission for children and adults on the third Saturday of every month, including Feb. 21. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors can see rare and unusual coins, a Treasures of the Deep exhibit, the Harry W. Bass Gallery, how money played a role in the Civil War, the history of...

A first-of-its-kind look at vaccination compliance and exemption rates at schools in the Colorado's 20 largest public school districts is drawing concerns about the accuracy of the data.
"We are collectively, at the local and state health level, intrigued by the report, but there are a number of problems with the methods. It's not the kind of...

Playing with her toddler at a Manitou Springs playground, photographer Brenda Biondo noticed the equipment had changed dramatically since she was a child.
Gone were the wooden seesaws, metal slides, steel spinners and jungle gyms she fondly recalled.
What happened to the classic playground equipment of her youth? she wondered. Did others...

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., free; visitcos.com/bighorn. If you're lucky, a bachelor herd of bighorn sheep just might wander into sight this weekend. Colorado's state animal is the guest of honor Saturday at the 10th annual Bighorn Sheep Day at Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature...

"What now?" is the question many are asking after the Colorado attorney general's ruling announced Tuesday that the State Board of Education does not have authority to grant waivers to school districts wanting to forgo state-mandated tests.
With new standardized testing for third- through 11th-graders starting as early as Feb. 23 for some...